The Unitarian Universalist Association, an association of Unitarian Universalist Congregations in the United States of America, is composed of 19 Districts. Structure Each District has its own District-level organization, complete with governing body (in the form of an elected council, or board) and all. Districts provide services to their member congregations, including help with ministerial settlement. Each District has a representative on the UUA's Board of Trustees. Collaborations between districts have also resulted in the creation of five unofficial "regions": the Central East Regional Group, the Southern Region, MidAmerica Region, Pacific Western Region and New England Region. Multi-congregational collaboration within districts has also resulted in the creation of unofficial local "clusters" or "networks" (similar to deaneries in episcopal polities) within metropolitan areas with closely approximate churches. Districts also hold annual district assemblies similar to the General Assembly, in which workshops and district business is performed. District list NOTE: Until 2008, there were 20 Districts; the Northeast and New Hampshire-Vermont Districts merged to become the Northern New England District. A prior merger occurred in 2000, when the Unitarian Universalist District of Michigan (UUDOM) merged with the Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalist District (OVUUD) to become the Heartland District. Central East Regional Group The Metro New York District comprises 51 congregations in New York state from Long Island to Kingston, including metropolitan New York City, as well as northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and two congregations in Pennsylvania. The Ohio-Meadville District comprises 46 congregations in most of Ohio, western Pennsylvania, southwestern New York, and West Virginia; 28 are listed as Welcoming Congregations. The Joseph Priestley District comprises Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. It is named after Joseph Priestley, a scientist credited both with the discovery of oxygen and with helping to found the oldest Unitarian congregation in America, the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, in 1796; it currently presides over 67 congregations. The St. Lawrence District comprises 36 congregations in New York state, excepting New York City. Southern Region The Florida District comprises most of Florida and one congregation in Valdosta, Georgia; it presides over 45 affiliated and one emerging congregation. The Mid-South District comprises 32 UUA-affiliated congregations, and 4 emerging new congregations, in Alabama, the panhandle of Florida, central and north Georgia, Mississippi, and middle Tennessee. The Southeast District comprises 72 congregations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Eastern Georgia, Eastern and Central Tennessee, and most